groups (i.e. SM/leather/fetish and poly for example). In trying to do a statistical breakdown of the requests, we

placed it in the category it most clearly matched.

? 9% or 47 were requests regarding SM/

Incident Response Program2010 Report

Submitted by Leigha Fleming

In 2010, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) again took the lead in defending the rights of individuals and groups in the SM,leather,fetish, swing and polyamory communities. NCSF's coalition of over 40 educational and social groups is committed to creating a political, legal, and social environment in the United States that advances equal rights of consenting adults who practice forms of alternative sexual expression. NCSF's Incident Response team is directed by Director Leigha Fleming. In total, over 482 individuals, groups, attorneys, prosecutors, and businesses contacted NCSF for help in 2009. Each incident sometimes required only one or two phone calls, but some evolved into much larger projects.

NCSF received 526 distinct inquiries/requests for assistance.

307 required more than one contact/response to resolve, often requiring multiple contacts.

It is difficult to categorize many incident requests as clearly falling into one camp or another. Many overlap in categories. For example, many of our custody/divorce related issues involve at least 2 of our core constituent groups (i.e. SM/leather/fetish and poly for example). In trying to do a statistical breakdown of the requests, we placed it in the category it most clearly matched.

9% or 47 were requests regarding SM/

39% or 204 were regarding criminal complaint issues

3% or 15 were regarding employment discrimination

24 % or 125 were regarding child custody/divorce issues

15.5% or 81 were related to SM/leather/fetish group issues

2% or 10 were classed as non?employment discrimination

4% or 21 were related to swing community issues

1% or 10 were regarding online obscenity issues

2.5% or 13 were classed as “other”

Of the inquires:

91.5% were driven by SM/leather/fetish issues,

4% by swing,

4% by poly,

0.5% by other

.

2010 saw an increased number of requests around criminal and domestic violence or SM/abuse related issues. NCSF worked with more than 53 attorneys representing defendants in criminal cases. In addition, we worked with more than 17 district attorneys and prosecutors related to SM issues. The vast majority of these criminal cases revolved around domestic abuse or consensual sex/play issues. There is a clear need for education within our own communities about the role and limits of consent and for education to police authorities on the differences between SM and abuse. Our Consent Counts project hopes to address some of these issues. There is a great need for educational within our own communities regarding consent and a great need for change in laws related to consensual adult sexual expression.

The implementation of KAP under NCSF’s administration resulted in fewer requests for referrals because we were able to refer the request to our site. The new administration tools for KAP in our website overhaul will also make the use of this tool much more efficient for both user and professional. In addition, NCSF has implemented new criteria for incident response.

We continue to receive a number of requests for assistance from groups, businesses, and other support organizations who want information about how to operate legally, do law enforcement outreach, file for nonprofit status, deal with the media or the press, do hotel/event outreach, or do research around zoning or other legal issues.

We also continue to receive requests for assistance involving parents who were engaged in child custody and divorce cases. Parents continue to experience difficulties gaining child custody due to their interest in SM, swing or poly activities. NCSF worked with a number of attorneys representing parents accused of being unfit because of their alternative lifestyle interests. In many cases, because of information we were able to provide, the courts decided that alternative sexual expression alone was not cause to impugn a parent's ability to be a good parent.

We have developed new workshops / FAQs for parents dealing with custody/divorce and child protective services. NCSF’s implementation of SalesForce has helped us manage our Incident Response requests in a significantly more professional and consistent way. It provides for direct access by someone needing help through a new customer service portal and it allows NCSF staff/volunteers to track and log all calls and action on any given request.

NCSF is here to help you ?? the SM, swing and polyamory communities. If you have a problem with discrimination, persecution, or harassment because of your sexual expression, please call NCSF for assistance.

About Incident Reporting & Response

The NCSF Incident Reporting & Response (IRR) program provides assistance to individuals and groups within the alternative sexual expression communities who become victimized because of SM, leather, fetish, or swing practices.

Program Goals: NCSF's Incident Reporting & Response was created to provide assistance to individuals and groups within the BDSM, swinging and poly communities who are experiencing discrimination or needs assistance because of their interests and activities.